Apparatus for the production of pressure gas-vapor.



C. E. JOHNSON. APPARATUS FG-R THE PRODUCTION OF PRESSURE GAS VAPOR.APPLICATION FILED MAR. 4. 19x5.

1,261,940. Patented Apr. 9,1918.

3 SHEETSSHEET lany. mm-Mm can M C. E. JOHNSON. APPARATUS FOR THEPRODUCTION OF PRESSURE GAS VAPOR. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 4. 1915.

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C. E. JOHNSON.

APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF PRESSURE GAS VAPOR. APPLICATION FILEDMAR. 4. 1915.

1,261,940. Patented Apr. 9, 1918..

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- Inventor fixer/Zed Edmund T050500 177 Kw mm 40% fiZZqney CHARLES EDMUND JOHNSON, OF HOBART, TASMANIA, AUSTRALIA.

APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF PRESSURE GAS-VAPOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. 3 Application filed March 4,1915. Serial No. 12,196.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that/I, CHARLES EDMUND JOHNSON, a subject of the King ofGreat Britain, residing at Ruka, No. 79 King street, Sandy Bay, Hobart,Tasmania, Australia, have invented a new and useful Improved Apparatusfor the production of a Pressure Gas-Vapor, of which the following is aspecification. I I

This invention relates to the-production of a combined mixed gas andvapor produced'by the combustion of hydrocarbonsin liquid or gaseousform in commixture and in contact with atomized water thereby convertingsuch water into steam which commingles with the gaseous products ofcombustion under such pressure as is desired at or above atmosphericpressure. And this invention has been specially devised in order.

to provide a novel apparatus in which such combustible gas and vapormixture may be more economically and effectively produced.

This improved apparatus for the production of a pressure gas vapor has aseries of chambers one above the other each adapted to perform a specialfunction in the generating process. The lowermost is a float valvechamber in communication with a reservoir of hydrocarbon andwith a.compressed air supply. A spray pipe or jet from this chamber leadsupwardly into a second chamber wherein is an ignition device. Andleading into this chamber is a tangentially directed air jetadapted'tocause the burningmixture to move with an upward whirling motion. Aboutthe outlet from this second chamber into a third chamber area pluralityof vanes or baffles adapted to steady the gases passing therethroughanddirectthem first around the lower exterior of a fourth orvaporizingor mixing chamber and then into said chamber wherein atomized orsemi-vaporized water issprayed by one or more jets. If hydrocarbon gasis to be used instead of a liquid hydrocarbon it is fed to the firstchamber under pressure and the supply of compressed air to that chamberis cut off or regulated as necessary and the process carried onotherwise as before indicated.

But in order that this invention may be easily carried into efl'ectjapractical and preferred construction thereof will now be described withreference to the drawings accompanying and forming part of this completespecification.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a complete installation or plantaccording to this invention Fig. 2 a sectional elevation of thegenerator proper and Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional plans of said generatorrespectively on lines 3-3 and 4i Fig. 2.

Figs. 5 and 6 show details of air influx regulator and Figs. 7 and 8show details of air supply valves. Fig. 9 is a vertical sectionalelevation through the float chamber and oil pump.

Referring to the diagrammatic view in Fig. 1 the generating plantcomprises an air compressor 10 and a compressed air reserve container 11the pipe 12 having therein stop cocks 13 leading from such compressor 10junctioning with pipe 12 from reserve air container 11 to a novelcentrifugal regulator 14 and fromnthence by pipe 15 having stop cook 16to the float chamber 17 or lowermost of the chambers of the generatorproper. Above this float chamber is the second or vaporizing combustionchamber 18 above which is the combustion outlet throat 19 terminatingbelow the vaporizing or mixing chamber 20. The combustion outletthroat19 rises from the center of a surrounding water container 21 whichextends upwardly as an annulus 22 and over. the top of the mixingchamber 20 and said throat 19 ends in the bottom cylindrical part of alarge closed annulus or flue 23 surrounding the lower part of saidmixing chamber 20 and having entrances into said chamber. The floatchamber 17 is connected to a liquid hydrocarbon supply tank. by pipe 24.Into the combustion chamber 18 a pipe 26 leads from the top of airregulator 14. The water container 21 is connected by pipe 28having'float valve 29 thereon to an over-head or pressure water supply.Inthe mixing chamber 20 is a water-get 30 on the end of a pipe 31 from aclosed water container 32 with a float influx valve 62 controlling thesupply from pipe 61 and having above an air pressure chamber. 33connected by pipe 34 through pump 35 to the annulus Patented Apr. 9,1918.

22 and to the flue 23. The water pipe 31 is surrounded by a pressurepipe 36 leading from the chamber 32 above the regulated level of theWater therein to the discharge jet 30.

Referring more particularly to the detail vievvs the air regulator 1%consists of a fiat circular casing 3'? into which pipe 1'2 is directedthrough tangential. inlet as thus providing for imparting to the aircurrent a whirling motion. Outlet pipe 138 leading to pipe 15is'provided tor the escape of part of the air current 15 While upperchamber is provided to receive other part of said current and still orcalm the same by means of the bailles e0 forwardly of the outlet l'l1 topipe The float chamber 17 has a seating ll for heat valve positionedabout spray pipe having inlet orifices below the liquid level and thetop outlet 4-5 into spray nozzl Compressed air pipe 15 is led into thischamber 17 at l? and at the top of the chamber are adjustable juxtaposedair outlet orifices B and 4:9 in lined disk and movable disk 51constituting air leads into jet or nozzle 4:6. T he movable disk 51 hasa toothed flange 52 which meshes with a pinion on stem or spindle 5% andby which it may be partially rotated to adjust the relative position ofsaid. orifice d8 and 49.

Jet or nozzle 46 discharges into combustion chamber 18 in which is anignition device either electrical or of other class and in which chamberis a tangentially directed air blast orifice 56. fit the top of saidchamber 18 is an opening 57 about -which are a plurality of verticalbatlles 5c and Which. opens into chamber 19 which is preferably linedWith fire brick 59 and has external radiators 60. it plurality oforifices 63 lead from annulus 23 into mixing chamber 20 While aplurality of perforated pipes 6% lead from said chamber into the spacewhich terminates in outlet to an engine direct or to a power reservoir.Preferably the air outlet from the container 32 is controlled by a valvesimilar to that controlling the outlet from chamber 17 to chamber 18 as'hereinbefore described. The Water and fuel sprays may be in connectionwith either air or gas pressure pipes from compressor or-generator orbycombination thereof With or Wllllfitlb suitable pressure pumps.

The action oi the float valves 29 and 62 is controlled by the respectivesupply pumps from which the outlet valves are omitted the said valves29, is or 62 fulfilling their function. In use when the level o'l liquidin the chambers 17, 21 or 32 rises above the desired level its heat islifted from its seat and this allovrs the surplus liquid to return topump at intake stroke.

In the operation of improved pressure gas-vapor with this improvedapparatus liquid fuel is pumped or forced into chem her 17 through pipe2% to a level regulated by float valve l2. Compressed air is thenadmitted from air reserve 11 or direct from the compressor 10 bymanipulating cocks 13 and 1G and passes through ports 48 and d9 inregulator plates 50 and 51 to spray nozzle to from which fuel and airissue as spray and are ignited by electric spark device 55. Air is alsoadmited to chamber 18 by opening stop cock 27 and is given a whirlingmotion caused by reason oi? the tangential direction of entry and therapid motion and thus the ascending whirling column of burning spraybecomes thoroughly vaporized throughout by this initial combustion. Therotating column of air and burning vapor ascends to chamber 19 throughopening 5'? in bottom or such chamber. The outer jacket of air coming incontact with vertical vanes or battles 58 its rotary motion is checkedand consequent upon such change of acion the central rotating column ofignited vapor is thrown outward to sides of chamber 19 by centrifugalforce While the air tends tovvard a central path and this change ofaction brings about the diffusion of the air through the unburntvaporized fuel thus causing violent combus tion. The heated products ofcombustion pass around mixing chamber :20 and pass through holes63 intosaid chamber iv" erein they meet a spray of and Water or gases andatomized Water from nozzle EEO-and the unburnt vaporized hydrocarbon iscombusted and. acting on the atomized Water superheats the same and'commingles therewith and passes through perforated pipes 641- intospace 22 from which the major portion passes to outlet While a smallerpart is drawn through perforations into pipe 3% by pump 35 to be led topressure chamber of feed regulator The principal combustion takes placein chamber 19 flue 28 the flame protruding into chamber :20 throughholes 63 in series of fiercely burning jets, on purpose to ignite andburn any gases such as suction or ater gas formed through the superhe"ted steam acting on escaping carbon particles and as a small amount ofsteam added to vaporized hydrocarbons tends to a cleaner combus ion thecombustion is finished oil in direct contact with the steam in chamber20 the said flame from the holes 63 being sheltered from the directaction of the spray from nozzle 80 by the shoulder or flange of thebottom section of chamber 20 through Which are said holes 63. The firstcombustion in chamber 18 takes the form of a shell of flame Withunvaporized fuel in its center and a rotating air jacket surrounding theWhole. T he second or principal combustion is a solid flame, Theconstricted opening or throat leading from chambers 18 to 19 presses theshell of dame closer in on the bustion chambers 19 and 23. The water isatomized so as to present larger surface for the heated gases to actupon and also to produce an instantaneous regular steam supply or flow.Approximately half the heat of combustion being radiant heat is taken upby the "metal surfaces presented and transferred from them to theatomized water by the surrounding gases. Very little steam is generatedby the atomized water coming in contact with the metal surfaces; inaction the water drops fly off like so many indiarubber balls untilconverted to steam through the medium of the heated gases and thespheroidal quality in water is overcome.

by the gaseous medium surrounding each water drop quickly giving up heat"to same and as quickly absorbing it from the surrounding metal. Andapproximately the other half of the heat generated is given up to thewater by direct contact with the heated burning gases.

The water in container 22 insures that the apparatus will not beoverheated and any steam generated therefrom passes upwardly throughannulus 22 and mixes with thegasvapor product at outlet 63. Ihe water inchamber 21 is kept at a constant level the supply being controlled byfloat valve 29.

lVhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis 1. In apparatus of the character described the combination comprisinga combustion chamber, an ignition device disposed in the chamber, meansfor forcing a body of mixed air and burninghydrocarbon throughthechamber, a throat disposed at the upper end of the chamber, verticalbafiles disposed in the throat, a mixing and combustion chamber disposedabove said chamber and provided with openings to permit the passage offlames, means for producing a water spray in the mixing chamber, andmeans for collecting the resulting gaseous mixture from the mixingchamberr 2. In apparatus of the character described the combinationcomprising a combustion and mixing chamber, means for forcing into thechamber air under pressure and burning hydrocarbon, a water sprayinghead disposed in the chamber, a pipe having one end connected to thehead, a water container connected to the opposite end of the pipe, anair pressure pipe disposed around. the water pipe, arranged to dischargeadjacent the spray head and having its opposite end connected to an aircontainer, and means for collecting a gaseous mixture from the chamber.

3. In apparatus of the character described, the combination comprising asource of hydrocarbon under pressure, a casing having an inlet connectedto said source,

a perforated pipe disposed in the casing, a float valve slidablydisposed on the pipe and arranged to cover alternatively either theperforations or the inlet, means for producing tangentially an air blastin the casing, a combustion chamber arranged above and connected withthe pipe, means for admitting a tangentially directed air blast into thechamber, an ignition device disposed in the chamber, a second combustionand mixing chamber disposed above and connected with the combustionchamber, means for producing a water spray in the mixing chamber andmeans for collecting a gaseous mixture from the mixing chamber.

4. In apparatus of the character described, the combination comprising aplurality of superposed chambers, means for producing a whirling body ofair and hydrocarbon in the lower chambers, battles interposed betweentwo of the chambers in the path of movement of the whirling body of airand hydrocarbon, an ignition device in one of the chambers, means forproducing a Water spray in another of said chambers, and means forcollecting the resulting gaseous mixture.

5. In apparatus of the character described, the combination comprising aplurality of superposed chambers, means for producing a mixture of airand hyrocarbon under pressure in the chambers, an ignition device in oneof the chambers, a liquid spraying device in one of the chambers, a flatcasing arranged adjacent the chambers and connected to a source of airpressure and having an outlet at its side and an outlet in its top,battles disposed in the top of the casing adjacent the outlet and pipesconnecting said outlets to two of the superposed chambers.

6. An apparatus of the character described comprising a chamber, meansfor forcing a partially combustible mixture into said chamber, means forigniting said mixture to produce a flame, fluid pressure means forrotating such flame and means for intermixing atomized water with theresultant products of combustion.

7. A method of forming a fluid 'under pressure which consists in mixinga volatile fuel with a predetermined amount of fluid to form a partiallycombustible mixture, ig niting such mixture, subjecting the resultantproducts of combustion to a rotary air blast, fusing the air throughsuch products of combustion to cause complete combustion fuel with airto form a non-self supportingcombustible mixture, igniting such mixture,subjecting the resultant products of combustion to a rotary air blast,and finally injecting atomized Water inta) the products 01? combustion.

9. A method of forming afiuid under pressure which consists in mixing aVolatile fuel with air to fern a non-self supporting combustiblemixture, igniting said mixture, rotating the reflultant flame, diffusingairs thraugh said flame, and finally injecting atomized water into'theproducts of combusnon.

CHARLES EDMUND JOHNSON, 's t itnesses H. NORMAN, O. H, lIORMAlL filmfiommisslouer of Eatents,

